Iron deficiency anemia - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

Iron deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia — a condition in which blood lacks adequate healthy red blood cells. COVID-19:Advice,updatesandvaccineoptions Weareopenforsafein-personcare. Learnmore: MayoClinicfactsaboutcoronavirusdisease2019(COVID-19) OurCOVID-19patientandvisitorguidelines,plustrustedhealthinformation Lateston COVID-19vaccination bysite: Arizonapatientvaccinationupdates Arizona, Floridapatientvaccinationupdates Florida, Rochesterpatientvaccinationupdates Rochesterand MayoClinicHealthSystempatientvaccinationupdates MCHS Skiptositenavigation SkiptoContent ThiscontentdoesnothaveanEnglishversion.ThiscontentdoesnothaveanArabicversion. SectionsforIrondeficiencyanemiaSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departments Print OverviewIrondeficiencyanemiaisacommontypeofanemia—aconditioninwhichbloodlacksadequatehealthyredbloodcells.Redbloodcellscarryoxygentothebody'stissues. Asthenameimplies,irondeficiencyanemiaisduetoinsufficientiron.Withoutenoughiron,yourbodycan'tproduceenoughofasubstanceinredbloodcellsthatenablesthemtocarryoxygen(hemoglobin).Asaresult,irondeficiencyanemiamayleaveyoutiredandshortofbreath. Youcanusuallycorrectirondeficiencyanemiawithironsupplementation.Sometimesadditionaltestsortreatmentsforirondeficiencyanemiaarenecessary,especiallyifyourdoctorsuspectsthatyou'rebleedinginternally.Products&ServicesBook:MayoClinicFamilyHealthBook,5thEditionNewsletter:MayoClinicHealthLetter—DigitalEditionShowmoreproductsfromMayoClinic SymptomsInitially,irondeficiencyanemiacanbesomildthatitgoesunnoticed.Butasthebodybecomesmoredeficientinironandanemiaworsens,thesignsandsymptomsintensify. Irondeficiencyanemiasignsandsymptomsmayinclude: Extremefatigue Weakness Paleskin Chestpain,fastheartbeatorshortnessofbreath Headache,dizzinessorlightheadedness Coldhandsandfeet Inflammationorsorenessofyourtongue Brittlenails Unusualcravingsfornon-nutritivesubstances,suchasice,dirtorstarch Poorappetite,especiallyininfantsandchildrenwithirondeficiencyanemia WhentoseeadoctorIfyouoryourchilddevelopssignsandsymptomsthatsuggestirondeficiencyanemia,seeyourdoctor.Irondeficiencyanemiaisn'tsomethingtoself-diagnoseortreat.Soseeyourdoctorforadiagnosisratherthantakingironsupplementsonyourown.Overloadingthebodywithironcanbedangerousbecauseexcessironaccumulationcandamageyourliverandcauseothercomplications.MoreInformationCravingandchewingice:Asignofanemia? RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic CausesIrondeficiencyanemiaoccurswhenyourbodydoesn'thaveenoughirontoproducehemoglobin.Hemoglobinisthepartofredbloodcellsthatgivesblooditsredcolorandenablestheredbloodcellstocarryoxygenatedbloodthroughoutyourbody. Ifyouaren'tconsumingenoughiron,orifyou'relosingtoomuchiron,yourbodycan'tproduceenoughhemoglobin,andirondeficiencyanemiawilleventuallydevelop. Causesofirondeficiencyanemiainclude: Bloodloss.Bloodcontainsironwithinredbloodcells.Soifyouloseblood,youlosesomeiron.Womenwithheavyperiodsareatriskofirondeficiencyanemiabecausetheylosebloodduringmenstruation.Slow,chronicbloodlosswithinthebody—suchasfromapepticulcer,ahiatalhernia,acolonpolyporcolorectalcancer—cancauseirondeficiencyanemia.Gastrointestinalbleedingcanresultfromregularuseofsomeover-the-counterpainrelievers,especiallyaspirin. Alackofironinyourdiet.Yourbodyregularlygetsironfromthefoodsyoueat.Ifyouconsumetoolittleiron,overtimeyourbodycanbecomeirondeficient.Examplesofiron-richfoodsincludemeat,eggs,leafygreenvegetablesandiron-fortifiedfoods.Forpropergrowthanddevelopment,infantsandchildrenneedironfromtheirdiets,too. Aninabilitytoabsorbiron.Ironfromfoodisabsorbedintoyourbloodstreaminyoursmallintestine.Anintestinaldisorder,suchasceliacdisease,whichaffectsyourintestine'sabilitytoabsorbnutrientsfromdigestedfood,canleadtoirondeficiencyanemia.Ifpartofyoursmallintestinehasbeenbypassedorremovedsurgically,thatmayaffectyourabilitytoabsorbironandothernutrients. Pregnancy.Withoutironsupplementation,irondeficiencyanemiaoccursinmanypregnantwomenbecausetheirironstoresneedtoservetheirownincreasedbloodvolumeaswellasbeasourceofhemoglobinforthegrowingfetus. RiskfactorsThesegroupsofpeoplemayhaveanincreasedriskofirondeficiencyanemia: Women.Becausewomenlosebloodduringmenstruation,womeningeneralareatgreaterriskofirondeficiencyanemia. Infantsandchildren.Infants,especiallythosewhowerelowbirthweightorbornprematurely,whodon'tgetenoughironfrombreastmilkorformulamaybeatriskofirondeficiency.Childrenneedextraironduringgrowthspurts.Ifyourchildisn'teatingahealthy,varieddiet,heorshemaybeatriskofanemia. Vegetarians.Peoplewhodon'teatmeatmayhaveagreaterriskofirondeficiencyanemiaiftheydon'teatotheriron-richfoods. Frequentblooddonors.Peoplewhoroutinelydonatebloodmayhaveanincreasedriskofirondeficiencyanemiasinceblooddonationcandepleteironstores.Lowhemoglobinrelatedtoblooddonationmaybeatemporaryproblemremediedbyeatingmoreiron-richfoods.Ifyou'retoldthatyoucan'tdonatebloodbecauseoflowhemoglobin,askyourdoctorwhetheryoushouldbeconcerned. ComplicationsMildirondeficiencyanemiausuallydoesn'tcausecomplications.However,leftuntreated,irondeficiencyanemiacanbecomesevereandleadtohealthproblems,includingthefollowing: Heartproblems.Irondeficiencyanemiamayleadtoarapidorirregularheartbeat.Yourheartmustpumpmorebloodtocompensateforthelackofoxygencarriedinyourbloodwhenyou'reanemic.Thiscanleadtoanenlargedheartorheartfailure. Problemsduringpregnancy.Inpregnantwomen,severeirondeficiencyanemiahasbeenlinkedtoprematurebirthsandlowbirthweightbabies.Buttheconditionispreventableinpregnantwomenwhoreceiveironsupplementsaspartoftheirprenatalcare. Growthproblems.Ininfantsandchildren,severeirondeficiencycanleadtoanemiaaswellasdelayedgrowthanddevelopment.Additionally,irondeficiencyanemiaisassociatedwithanincreasedsusceptibilitytoinfections. PreventionYoucanreduceyourriskofirondeficiencyanemiabychoosingiron-richfoods. Chooseiron-richfoodsFoodsrichinironinclude: Redmeat,porkandpoultry Seafood Beans Darkgreenleafyvegetables,suchasspinach Driedfruit,suchasraisinsandapricots Iron-fortifiedcereals,breadsandpastas Peas Yourbodyabsorbsmoreironfrommeatthanitdoesfromothersources.Ifyouchoosetonoteatmeat,youmayneedtoincreaseyourintakeofiron-rich,plant-basedfoodstoabsorbthesameamountofironasdoessomeonewhoeatsmeat. ChoosefoodscontainingvitaminCtoenhanceironabsorptionYoucanenhanceyourbody'sabsorptionofironbydrinkingcitrusjuiceoreatingotherfoodsrichinvitaminCatthesametimethatyoueathigh-ironfoods.VitaminCincitrusjuices,likeorangejuice,helpsyourbodytobetterabsorbdietaryiron. VitaminCisalsofoundin: Broccoli Grapefruit Kiwi Leafygreens Melons Oranges Peppers Strawberries Tangerines Tomatoes PreventingirondeficiencyanemiaininfantsTopreventirondeficiencyanemiaininfants,feedyourbabybreastmilkoriron-fortifiedformulaforthefirstyear.Cow'smilkisn'tagoodsourceofironforbabiesandisn'trecommendedforinfantsunder1year.Afterage6months,startfeedingyourbabyiron-fortifiedcerealsorpureedmeatsatleasttwiceadaytoboostironintake.Afteroneyear,besurechildrendon'tdrinkmorethan20ounces(591milliliters)ofmilkaday.Toomuchmilkoftentakestheplaceofotherfoods,includingthosethatarerichiniron. ByMayoClinicStaff RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic Diagnosis&treatment Oct.18,2019 Print Shareon:FacebookTwitter Showreferences KaushanskyK,etal.Irondeficiencyandoverload.In:WilliamsHematology.9thed.NewYork,N.Y.:TheMcGraw-HillCompanies;2016.http://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?sectionid=94304160&bookid=1581&jumpsectionID=94304237&Resultclick=2#1121092571.AccessedOct.16,2016. SchrierSL,etal.Treatmentofirondeficiencyanemiainadults.http://www.uptodate.com/home.AccessedOct.16,2016. Iron-deficiencyanemia.AmericanSocietyofHematology.http://www.hematology.org/Patients/Anemia/Iron-Deficiency.aspx.AccessedOct.16,2016. VitaminC:Factsheetforhealthprofessionals.NationalInstitutesofHealthOfficeofDietarySupplements.https://ods.od.nhih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/.AccessedOct.16,2016. Whatisiron-deficiencyanemia?NationalHeart,Lung,andBloodInstitute.http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/ida/.AccessedOct.16,2016. SchrierSL,etal.Approachtotheadultpatientwithanemia.http://www.uptodate.com/home.AccessedOct.16,2016. MahoneyDH,etal.Irondeficiencyininfantsandyoungchildren:Treatment.http://www.uptodate.com/home.AccessedOct.16,2016. Iron:Factsheetforhealthprofessionals.NationalInstitutesofHealthOfficeofDietarySupplements.https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/#h3.AccessedOct.16,2016. CBCwithdifferential,blood.MayoMedicalLaboratories.http://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-catalog/Clinical+and+Interpretive/9109.AccessedOct.16,2016. MesaRA(expertopinion).MayoClinic,Rochester,Minn.October17,2016. Related Cravingandchewingice:Asignofanemia? 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